Welcome to Afronerd!
A new and needed web sanctuary for people of color with intellectual and artistic pursuits. In this blog we will be addressing interesting and varied subjects, i.e. current national/world affairs, culture, science, religion, politics, entertainment and literature(including graphic novels a/k/a comic books.....yes comics). We hope you enjoy the exchange of ideas.
Peace & Godspeed.

Mission

Welcome to Afronerd! A new and needed web sanctuary for people of color with intellectual and artistic pursuits. In this blog we will be addressing interesting and varied subjects, i.e. current national/world affairs, culture, science, religion, politics, entertainment and literature(including graphic novels a/k/a comic books.....yes comics). We hope you enjoy the exchange of ideas. Peace & Godspeed

Saturday, May 31, 2008

It's time to talk about Sunday's broadcast, so let's get into it-enter Father Pfleger. We will speculate if Pfleger's alleged faux pas will rise to the level of the Reverend Wright fiasco or will it dissipate into the atmosphere like smoke. And better yet-who is Pfleger? And as the title of this entry suggests, sometimes we are compelled to enter the world of mundanity, so let's talk about MTV's recent airing of the top 10 MCs for 2008 (check it out above)-is this list accurate? The short answer is no but let's talk about it anyway. Lastly, Mr. Starks and I will use our ever watchful conservative microsope to dissect a recent SFGate.com article that uncovers a controversy relating to Black and White bloggers and the upcoming DNC convention. Oh yeah, and the drill goes as follows: call us live at-646-915-9620 or you can contact us via email or IM-afronerdradio@yahoo. Remember, that's 8pmthis Sunday-eastern time! Excelsior!

If you ever questioned the influence of the internet, and blogs in particular, take a look at this story...

For Dunkin’, a Tempest in an Iced-Coffee Cup

By STEPHANIE CLIFFORD

IT was a peculiarly Internet-age controversy.

On May 7, Dunkin’ Donuts began running an ad on its Web site and others, featuring the celebrity chef Rachael Ray holding a cup of the company’s iced coffee while wearing a black-and-white fringed scarf. In the ad, which was shot in a studio, she is shown standing in front of trees with pink blossoms and a building with a distinctive spire.

On May 23, the conservative blog Little Green Footballs posted an item that likened Ms. Ray’s scarf to the type typically worn by Muslim extremists. The blog said that the ads “casually promote the symbol of Palestinian terrorism and the intifada, the keffiyeh, via Rachael Ray.”

Later that day, the conservative blogger Michelle Malkin chimed in, likening the scarf to a keffiyeh and calling it “jihadi chic.” Then the story, as they say on the Internet, went totally viral.

•

Hundreds of people posted comments, many of them condemning Dunkin’ Donuts. Ms. Malkin continued to blog about what she referred to as the “keffiyeh kerfuffle.” People who claimed knowledge of Islam weighed in, objecting to the ignorance of equating a keffiyeh with terrorism.

On May 24, Dunkin’ Donuts removed the ad from its Web site and others — and was promptly condemned by people who accused the company of caving in to conservative bullies.

Dunkin’ Donuts turned down a request to talk about the episode, but issued a statement. “In a recent online ad, Rachael Ray is wearing a black-and-white silk scarf with a paisley design,” it said. “It was selected by a stylist for the advertising shoot. Absolutely no symbolism was intended.”

The decision to remove the ad, the company said, was made “because the possibility of misperception detracted from its original intention to promote our iced coffee.”

To be sure, the controversy probably got Dunkin’ Donuts a lot more attention than if that hapless stylist had chosen, say, a nice beaded necklace instead. And if there are lessons to be drawn from the incident, they probably relate to the warp speed at which innuendoes pulsate through the Internet, as well as the nimbleness the medium gives companies to remove content that suddenly turns controversial.

“When it comes to issues like this,” said Eric Dezenhall, the head of the crisis public relations firm Dezenhall Resources, corporations “don’t want to be anywhere near them and they will cave very, very quickly — anything to stop the pain, anything to stop the press from calling.”

The fastest way to do that, he said, is “to pull the ad and do another one.”

In this case, however, removing the ad did not make the problem go away — far from it. Days later, on May 28, Ms. Malkin published a syndicated column praising Dunkin’ Donuts for removing the ad and reiterating the contention that Ms. Ray “posed for one of the company’s ads in what appeared to be a black-and-white keffiyeh.” She added, “The keffiyeh, for the clueless, is the traditional scarf of Arab men that has come to symbolize murderous Palestinian jihad.” It drew hundreds of comments on her blog and elsewhere.

From there, a backlash to the backlash started to take hold.

An item about the controversy had more than 2,300 votes and 830 comments on Digg, a news aggregation site. A YouTube video, “Rachael Ray Is a Terrorist,” poked fun at the situation, with the narrator saying, “Yes, because when I look at Rachael Ray I think 9/11.” That video drew more than 2,300 comments, and a related story on The Huffington Post had more than 1,200 comments.

“Often the counterstory can become bigger than the original story,” said Adam Selig, the chief executive of Visible Technologies, which helps companies handle their reputations online. “That’s something you have to be very careful about in social media.”

The removal of ads in response to objections is nothing new. Last year, several suicide-themed ads from General Motors, Washington Mutual and Volkswagen were removed after objections from suicide-prevention groups, and animal rights groups have campaigned against certain “Got Milk?” spots and others.

But for all the headache, has anyone’s opinion about the companies in question really been influenced?

“There are scandals that are worth responding to and there are scandals that are worth ignoring, and I think the Internet amplifies these voices,” said Eric Hirshberg, the president and chief creative officer of Deutsch L.A., which created the G.M. spot (which was returned to television after some revision). “But this is no different than the retired grandmother who used to write a handwritten letter because she was offended by a video game ad intended for 17-year-olds.”

Mr. Hirshberg said that the immediacy of the Internet made it seem like an immediate response was necessary, no matter how far-fetched the accusations. “The alternative is to assume that people will simply see through it, draw their own conclusions, and chuckle it off,” he said.

Studiocom, part of the WPP Group, is the agency that created the Rachael Ray ad, and it referred a call for comment to Dunkin’ Donuts. Hill Holliday, part of the Interpublic Group of Companies, is the agency that handles much of Dunkin’ Donuts’ traditional advertising, and it too declined to comment.

One Internet executive suggested the mudslinging could be a good thing. “You need to find and do something that is a bit edgy, that is polarizing, that provides some water-cooler conversation,” said Bob Parsons, chief executive of GoDaddy.com, the Web site registrar that likes to run racy Super Bowl ads. “One of the ways to know that your advertising is working is there will be a segment of the population that is upset by it.”

Friday, May 30, 2008

This really is a non-story but it does speak of Black folks' interest in Rock music. This next story of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice meeting with members of the Glam Rock group KISS will undoubtedly affirm her alleged lack of racial solidarity in some Black circles but on this blog it proves our contention that people of color do love Rock music and should not be put into stereotypical cultural boxes. Here's more form the Dayton Daily News:

STOCKHOLM, Sweden — The Kiss Army fan club has an enthusiastic new recruit: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

In a departure from her normally staid diplomatic duties, Rice met the legendary glam rock quartet when they happened to share a hotel in the Swedish capital. Rice was in Stockholm on Thursday for an international conference on Iraq. Kiss had a sold-out gig to play on Friday.

"I was thrilled," Rice said of her late-night encounter with frontman Gene Simmons and bandmates Paul Stanley, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer in the executive lounge of the Sheraton Hotel where they signed autographs and handed out backstage passes and T-shirts to her staff.

"It was really fun to meet Kiss and Gene Simmons," she told reporters, noting they seemed well informed about current events. The band had asked if she could stop by after she finished dinner with the Swedish foreign minister and Rice readily agreed, she said.

Simmons and his crew, who are on a European tour, weren't wearing their trademark stage makeup, but were recognizable as rock stars to even non-fans by their hair, according to State Department officials who were with Rice.

Rice, a classically trained pianist, said she has eclectic musical tastes ranging from Beethoven to Bruce Springsteen. Hard stadium rockers like Kiss are included in the mix and Rice said her favorite tune of theirs is "Rock and Roll All Nite."

But, she conceded she had never seen the group in concert.

In fact, although she frequently attends classical music performances, Rice claims to have been to only four rock concerts in her life. The first was in the early 1960s when she went as a 10-year-old to see Paul Revere and the Raiders in her home state of Alabama.

After her family moved to Colorado, Rice went at the age of 16 went on her first date with an Air Force cadet to see Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. She later saw Earth, Wind and Fire in Denver and her last rock and roll show was a U2 concert in Washington, she said.

This just in-the above photo depicts what experts have deemed to be perhaps the last uncontacted Indian tribe that has had very little, if any actual brush with modernity.

Courtesy of Reuters:

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Amazon Indians from one of the world's last uncontacted tribes have been photographed from the air, with striking images released on Thursday showing them painted bright red and brandishing bows and arrows.

The photographs of the tribe near the border between Brazil and Peru are rare evidence that such groups exist. A Brazilian official involved in the expedition said many of them are in increasing danger from illegal logging.

"What is happening in this region is a monumental crime against the natural world, the tribes, the fauna and is further testimony to the complete irrationality with which we, the 'civilized' ones, treat the world," Jose Carlos Meirelles was quoted as saying in a statement by the Survival International group.

One of the pictures, which can be seen on Survival International's Web site (http://www.survival-international.org), shows two Indian men covered in bright red pigment poised to fire arrows at the aircraft while another Indian looks on.

Another photo shows about 15 Indians near thatched huts, some of them also preparing to fire arrows at the aircraft.

"The world needs to wake up to this, and ensure that their territory is protected in accordance with international law. Otherwise, they will soon be made extinct," said Stephen Corry, the director of Survival International, which supports tribal people around the world.

Of more than 100 uncontacted tribes worldwide, more than half live in either Brazil or Peru, Survival International says. It says all are in grave danger of being forced off their land, killed and ravaged by new diseases.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Unfortunately, here at Afronerd, we have to highlight both sides of the coin. Of course, Mr. Starks and I had to utilize our ever discerning and analytical scalpels to make sense of Harlem's Memorial Day chaos (during this evening's Afronerd Radio broadcast) but thankfully just like the stock market-some folks gain and others lose. I want our readers to take a look at this next story about Black youth that get it-education is the answer.

While some in the African-American community had a problem with Joshua Packwood recently being named the first White valedictorian of Morehouse-very few made mention that this achievement is still a "win" for Black folks. What do I mean? Packwood appears to be on the road to success (Rhodes Scholar, position at Goldman-Sachs, schooling overseas) having been taught by a predominantly Black institution-chalk one up for alleged inferior schooling. And yet there are students of color, as documented in this next story, that are still achieving-check out this excerpt from The Sun in which nine students were honored for their scholastic endeavors:

Nine students from historically black colleges and universities were honored today for completing a program aimed at honing minority science savants into 21st century leaders.

The fellowship program in Cal State San Bernardino's Integrated Technology Transfer Network was founded in 2005, with the help of a partnership between the university's Center for Entrepreneurship, the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education, the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and Congressman Lewis.

Since then, 34 fellows with math and science undergrad degrees have been through the rigorous entrepreneurial program. Lewis, who is on the Armed Services AppropriationsCommittee, has helped by securing more than $6 million in federal funding, Karnig said.

Well it’s off to the races as we have yet another Afronerd Radio broadcast scheduled for this evening at 8pm eastern. Let’s talk shop as we discuss the recent events centered around a horrific Harlem shooting spree that left eight people wounded this past Memorial Day weekend. We will also discuss the Indiana Jones IV NYC/Harlem premiere and the 106 & Park minstrel show that accompanied this extravaganza. And lastly, a recent New York Daily News article highlighted what we have known since this blog’s inception-Black Rock music is on the come up. So join Mr. Starks and yours truly to converse about not only the aforementioned topics but also other issues that arose this week by calling us at: 646-915-9620 or via email/IM-afronerdradio@yahoo. You know what to do and just as the Nike commercial exclaims-just do it! Call in and Keep it Correct, Cogent and Conservative!

And a bit more on Black Rock musicianship....check out the live concert video footage (below) of the great Ms. Danielia Cotton (who was mentioned in the hyper text linked article above)-she gives a double entendre meaning to her cover of AC/DC's Back in Black:

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

In the summer of 2002, the FBI, the Baton Rouge Police Department, and several other agencies began a massive search for a serial killer suspected of murdering three women. Based on an FBI profile and an eyewitness report, they upended southern Louisiana looking for a white man who drives a white pickup, collecting DNA from more than 1,000 Caucasian males. They found nothing. Meanwhile, the killer struck again.

In March 2003, investigators turned to Tony Frudakis, a molecular biologist who said he could determine the suspect's race by analyzing his DNA. Uncertain about the science, the police asked Frudakis to take a blind test: They sent him DNA swabs from 20 people to see if he could identify their races. He nailed every one.

On a conference call a few weeks later, Frudakis reported his results on their killer. "Your guy could be African-American or Afro-Caribbean, but there is no chance that this is a Caucasian." There was a prolonged silence, followed by a flurry of questions. They all came down to this: Would Frudakis bet his life on his results? Absolutely.

Quickly changing course, the authorities soon turned up the file of Derrick Todd Lee, a 34-year-old black man with an extensive rap sheet for domestic violence, assault, stalking, and peeping. The police got a subpoena, took a cheek swab, and a few days later had an answer: Lee's sample matched DNA collected at the crime scenes.

Frudakis' test is called DNAWitness. It examines DNA from 176 locations along the genome. Particular sequences at these points are found primarily in people of African heritage, others mainly in people of Indo-European, Native American, or South Asian descent. No one sequence can perfectly identify a person's origin. But by looking at scores of markers, Frudakis says he can predict ancestry with a tiny margin of error.

Since the Baton Rouge case, DNAWitness has been used nationally in nearly 200 criminal investigations. In several, the science played a crucial role in narrowing the suspect field, ultimately leading to an arrest. But its success hasn't made the technology popular with law enforcement. Frudakis' company, DNAPrint, has yet to turn a profit and may not survive much longer.

Part of the problem is cost — basic tests run more than $1,000. But the real issue? DNAWitness touches on race and racial profiling — a subject with such a tortured history that people can't countenance the existence of the technology, even if they don't understand how it works.

"Once we start talking about predicting racial background from genetics, it's not much of a leap to talking about how people perform based on their DNA — why they committed that rape or stole that car or scored higher on that IQ test," says Troy Duster, former president of the American Sociological Association.

"This is analyzing data derived from a crime scene," Frudakis counters. "It's just a way for police to narrow down their suspect lists." But his position, rational as it may be, is no match for the emotions that surface with any pairing of race and crime.

Tony Clayton, a black man and a prosecutor who tried one of the Baton Rouge murder cases, concedes the benefits of the test: "Had it not been for Frudakis, we would still be looking for the white guy in the white pickup." Nevertheless, Clayton says he dislikes anything that implies we don't all "bleed the same blood." He adds, "If I could push a button and make this technology disappear, I would."

Monday, May 26, 2008

As I stated during the Larry Elder interview and in print, I'm really not sure about Hillary's RFK faux pas but the above clip of FOX Contributor Liz Trotta jokingly wishing for Sen. Barack Obama's demise is utterly reprehensible. She attempted to be contrite by naming Osama and Obama in an imaginary kill game and as expected her joke fell flat. I'm not one for condemning Fox all the way through because other media that one may deem as being more progressive can be equally insulting but this foolishness must be stopped. Here's an excerpt from Jeffrey Feldman's op-ed piece, courtesy of the Huffington Post:

Americans Everywhere Are Tired Of This!There is no question that broadcast pundits "can" make jokes about assassinating a Senator and a Presidential candidate. The United States Constitution protects freedom of expression to the extreme. But that is the wrong question to ask in this situation. The issue is not "can" pundits make jokes about assassinating Sen. Obama, but "should" they?

It is astounding that Americans should even be forced to have such a conversation, let alone on Memorial Day Weekend when we remember with respect the sacrifices of fallen soldiers. But here we are.

I have to wonder how many people there actually are in the U.S. who think it is funny to make jokes about the assassination of Sen. Obama? What percentage of the American population consists of people who think that the assassination of Sen. Obama--or anyone for that matter--makes for a good punchline? Is it 50 people? 75, maybe?

Perhaps I am overly optimistic, but I do not believe there are very many people in our country--or anywhere else for that matter--who laugh or find it remotely funny when broadcast pundits stoop to the level of making jokes about killing an elected leader. It does not feel funny. It feels like someone spitting in our faces.

I believe that the vast majority of Americans--people in every corner of the country and of all political stripes--all react with an equal level of disgust when we hear remarks of the sort that Liz Trotta made on FOX News.

When we hear such "jokes" about assassinating a member of the Senate--a member of our government--we do not laugh, but instead wonder. We wonder what has happened to broadcast media in our country. We wonder to ourselves, to our families, and to our friends: How have we arrived at this point? How has our broadcast media so utterly lost its moral compass?

I'm no fan of Ariana Huffington, but Feldman has a point-assassination talk does not belong anywhere in any presidential campaign, especially when two candidates represent disenfranchised protected groups. Click on the link below for the article in its entirety:

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Hat tip to resident commenter Sergio of the Bloodsport blog for hipping me to the above Keith Olbermann diatribe. Like the cliffhanger from Adam West's Batman TV series-will this spell the end of Hillary Clinton campaign? For those not in the know, check out the latest take on the Clinton faux pas courtesy of the Baltimore Sun:

MIAMI - Sen. Hillary Clinton cited the June 1968 assassination of Robert F. Kennedy on Friday as a reason to continue her increasingly long-shot bid for the Democratic presidential nomination into June, but later apologized for the comment.

Clinton, responding to a question from the Sioux Falls Argus Leader editorial board in South Dakota about calls for her to quit her campaign against front-runner Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, said, "My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. You know I just, I don't understand it."

But within a couple of hours, Clinton apologized for the reference to Kennedy's assassination in Los Angeles.

"I was discussing the Democratic primary history and in the course of that discussion mentioned the campaigns of both my husband and Sen. [Robert] Kennedy waged in California in June in 1992 and 1968 and I was referencing those to make the point that we have had nomination primary contests that go into June,'' she said. "That's a historic fact.

"The Kennedys have been much on my mind the last days because of Sen. Kennedy," she added, referring to Sen. Edward Kennedy's recent diagnosis of a brain tumor. "I regret that if my referencing that moment of trauma for our entire nation and in particular the Kennedy family was in any way offensive. I certainly had no intention of that whatsoever."

Concerns over security for Obama, who received Secret Service protection at an early stage of the campaign, are rarely expressed publicly by political leaders for fear of being perceived as inadvertently raising the risk to him.

Obama spokesman Bill Burton said Clinton's comment was "unfortunate" and "has no place in this campaign."

Clinton spokesman Mo Elleithee said the senator was only referring to her husband and Kennedy "as historical examples of the nominating process going well into the summer and any reading into it beyond that would be inaccurate and outrageous."

She has said much the same thing before. In a March interview with Time magazine, she said: "Primary contests used to last a lot longer. We all remember the great tragedy of Bobby Kennedy being assassinated in June in L.A. My husband didn't wrap up the nomination in 1992 until June, also in California. Having a primary contest go through June is nothing particularly unusual."

A close Obama ally in the Senate, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, said he accepted her explanation.

"I know Hillary Clinton, and the last thing in the world she'd ever want is to wish misfortune on anybody. She and Barack are friends," Durbin said. "It was ... a careless remark and we'll leave it at that."

In all fairness, perhaps Clinton's RFK remark was meant only as an off the cuff reference. I suspect that the infamous statement was used as a demarcation point for her campaign to continue-but any mentioning of assassination when dealing with the historic run of a woman or African-American for the presidency reeks of stupidity. What do you guys think? A dollar for your thoughts (oil is $135 a barrel..just adjust for inflation).

Friday, May 23, 2008

Well as the title of this entry so aptly states, we took a breather from yesterday's Afronerd Radio broadcast to prep for not only Mr. Elder's visit to our humble abode but also to perk up for some future treats. As I stated in previous posts-you do not want to miss this program-author, attorney and conservative media pundit Larry Elder stops by to discuss his latest literary effort, Stupid BlackMen. So join Mr. Starks and I as we "chop it up" with our esteemed guest about his book, politics and life. Don't forget, it's Sunday at 8pm eastern-our call-in number as usual is-646-915-9620. Feel free to stop by and ask questions by phone or via email at afronerdradio@yahoo. And as always-Be Square, Be there and Be conservative!

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO — A few years ago, drums of used french fry grease were only of interest to a small network of underground biofuel brewers, who would use the slimy oil to power their souped-up antique Mercedes.

Now, restaurants from Berkeley, Calif. to Sedgwick, Kan. are reporting thefts of old cooking oil worth thousands of dollars by rustlers who are refining it into barrels of biofuel in backyard stills.

"It's like a war zone going on right now over grease," said David Levenson, who owns a grease hauling business in San Francisco's Mission District. "We're seeing more and more people stealing grease because it lets them stay away from the pump, but it's hurting our bottom line."

Levenson, who converted the engine in his '83 Mercedes to run on straight canola oil, has built up contracts to collect the liquid leftovers from 400 restaurants in the last two years.

Last week when his pump truck arrived at Thee Parkside, a dive bar known for its chili-cheese fries, his driver found someone had already helped himself to their barrel of yellow oil.

Grease is transformed into fuel through a chemical process called transesterification, which removes glycerine and adds methanol to the oil, leaving a thinner product that can power a diesel engine. Biodiesel can also be blended with petroleum diesel, and blends of the alternative fuel are now sold at 1,400 gas stations across the country.

But as the price of diesel shoots up, so, too, does the value of grease.

In the last three years, the price of soybean oil — the main feedstock for biodiesel made in the United States — has tripled. Last week, a gallon of crude soybean oil fetched 66 cents on the open market, according to the National Biodiesel Board.

Those kinds of numbers have encouraged biofuel enthusiasts to plunder restaurants' greasy waste, and have even spurred the City of San Francisco to get into the grease-trap cleaning business.

"Restaurants and staff are no longer looking at this material as trash, they're looking at is as something that's about to go into city vehicles," said Karri Ving, who runs the city's new waste cooking oil collection program. "Unless you lock down every trash can, thefts are going to happen."

Drivers for Blue Sky Bio-Fuels, a grease hauler that also manufactures biodiesel for San Francisco's municipal program, often find the 300-gallon dumpster they store outside the Oakland Coliseum nearly dry, despite the dozens of concessions stands that regularly dump their oil there. Losses at that one site alone have cost the company $3,700 in foregone oil revenues in the last year, said Wesley Caddell, the Oakland firm's business developer.

In Kansas, Healy Biodiesel reports thousands of dollars in losses from used cooking oil heists from restaurants near Sedgwick, about 20 miles north of Wichita.

Standard Biodiesel in Seattle recently started working with police to try to catch the fly-by-night home-brewers who are pilfering up to 30,000 gallons of the oil they collect from restaurants every month.

Company officials say oil rustlers typically siphon their supplies into drums of their own, which they take to backyard gins to be brewed for personal use.

As more customers seek alternatives to petroleum-based fuels, biodiesel production has grown from the grassroots to become a multimillion dollar industry. A combination of government subsidies, tax incentives and high oil prices have increased demand for ethanol and biodiesel, which can also be made from animal fat.

The National Biodiesel Board reports that U.S. production of biodiesel reached 500 million gallons last year, up from just 75 million gallons in 2005.

To manufacture the renewable fuel legally, biodiesel producers must register with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Biodiesel consumers must also pay the government taxes to help with road upkeep.

So far, members of the National Biodiesel Board haven't reported feedstock thefts, but that doesn't mean they aren't happening on a small scale, said Amber Thurlo Pearson, a spokeswoman for the industry's national trade association.

"We are of course opposed to the alleged selfish, personal-use theft of feedstock that could otherwise go to make product to benefit the U.S.," Pearson said.

San Francisco started its program, SFGreaseCycle, to cut down on the millions it spends each year to dislodge fats, oils and grease clogging the sewers, Ving said. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission eventually hopes to power its fleet of buses, fire trucks and emergency vehicles with biodiesel made from local restaurants' old oil, she said.

Currently, drivers collect about 15,000 gallons of fat and oil each month from 350 restaurants, including Enrico's, a mainstay in the Italian-themed North Beach neighborhood.

When the program started six months ago, the city picked up the old oil for free, and sold it to select licensed biofuel makers for 30 cents a gallon. Now that restaurants are supplying them with cleaner waste oil, they can get up to $1.25 a gallon, Ving said.

Those numbers — and the city's sudden move into the market — have convinced Levenson he needs to invest in padlocks to safeguard his precious grease and the barrels that hold it. Several of those have disappeared, too.

"When you're hauling grease for free, you want to make sure there's something there to pick up. Otherwise, with these prices, it's not worth your while," he said. "That said, if I wasn't doing this company, I would probably be doing the same thing as everybody else, just going to restaurants and filling up directly."

Monday, May 19, 2008

Never let it be said that when an icon passes another one doesn't pick up the baton. Of course, I was referring to the preeminent African-American sci-fi writer, Octavia Butler who died in 2006 and the once empty void that she left behind. Thankfully, we have another science-fiction writer of color and of note that appears to be making the rounds-enter R. A. Baker. Check out the latest info on this up and coming scribe, courtesy of NewswireToday.com:

With his detailed narrative, gripping plot, and compelling characters, African American author R. A. Baker is a fine newcomer to the literary playing field. However, there is one thing that sets Baker apart from most black writers: he writes science fiction. In 2008, R. A. Baker joined the ranks of black science fiction/fantasy writers like Charles Saunders, Steven Barnes, Octavia Butler, and Nalo Hopkinson, among others. They are part of a small, but growing group of writers, specializing in genres previously the exclusive domain of their white counterparts. It’s a trend poised to add a new perspective to fantasy and science fiction storytelling.

Baker, who wrote the sci-fi/fantasy novel, Rayna of Nightwind, says that he knew at an early age that he wanted to write sci-fi/fantasy. “I’ve always loved speculative fiction, which includes both sci-fi and fantasy,” he says. “It allows for so much creative freedom—it is the only kind of fiction I would ever want to write.”

With the commercial success of the Harry Potter novels, and movies like The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, there is little doubt of sci-fi and fantasy’s appeal. African American writers like Baker believe there is also a demand for a fresh approach to these popular genres. “I believe African Americans can bring a lot to the table and take speculative fiction in exciting directions it has never gone before,” he says.

Baker says he does not see himself as a pioneer, but simply as a member of a special, and often misunderstood group. “When I tell people I write sci-fi/fantasy, I sometimes get strange stares, like they are thinking to themselves, ‘black people don’t write sci-fi’,” he says. “It can be a little disheartening, but I know the best way to deal with attitudes like that, is to be as successful in my field as possible. In a way, it has made me a better writer, because I know I can never give up or stop writing. I would never want to give the naysayers that kind of satisfaction.”

Additionally, Baker points out that diversity should be sought in all areas. “If Tiger Woods had decided early in his career to abandon golf because it was uncommon for a black person to play that sport, we would have missed out on a phenomenal golf player, and a great role model,” he said. “I think it’s time we shattered some old stereotypes about black literature, and be open to explore different avenues”.

To aspiring African American sci-fi/fantasy authors, Baker offers the following advice: “There is a world of possibilities to explore, so explore it your way. When I wrote Rayna of Nightwind, I stayed true to my voice and my particular writing style. Don’t let preconceived notions about your race influence how you write, or what you write about—let your imagination decide.”

R. A. Baker is the author of "Rayna of Nightwind", the first novel in his new Taren series(published by Apollo House Press), which is available for purchase on Amazon.com

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Well first off, take a gander at the above clip-talk about in-house ingenuity! If I still had my nintendo, perhaps I would consider such a coffee table! Anyway, it's Comic Shoppe Radio time and I want you guys to feel free and join in the conversation with Max, Daryll and yours truly as we discuss over favorite graphic novel reads (one of mine-Life Sucks- A MUST READ!!) from last week and of course, the latest in comic book/sci-fi news. You know the deal, call in with your comments at-646-200-0104 or contact us via email/IM at thecomicshoppe@yahoo. And in the immortal words of Robocop-thank you for your support.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

I had to laugh...pretty cool dubbing and impersonation. And speaking of cool, Yves Rossy is the epitome of cool. Check out this latest video of his personal wing/flyer-the Wright Brothers and Leonardo Di Vinci would be proud.

Here's more info, courtesy of Coolest-Gadgets.com:

From the dawn of intellectual thought, man has been contemplating the idea of independent flight, soaring through the clouds, nothing between us and the earth’s surface. What if us humans had wings?

No doubt, airplanes were a huge step towards the independent flight of man, but in order to fly a plane, you have to be a licensed pilot, and who has the time and patience for all of that mess? A Swiss man named Yves Rossy has unveiled his personal flyer, a jet-powered set of wings which allows humans to act as airplanes, even performing plane stunts such as the figure eight.

48-year-old Rossy sprang into the air at 7,500-feet, jumping from the inside of a Pilatus Porter aircraft, with nothing but a pair of eight-feed wide wings standing between himself and the unforgiving Earth below. As Rossy’s free fall slowly evolved into a steady glide, four jet-turbines were ignited, accelerating the man to speeds of 186 miles per hour, or “about 65 miles per hour faster than the typical falling skydiver.”

“I still haven’t used the full potential,” Rossy told reporters, exclaiming his hope to one day use the wings for a fly through the Grand Canyon. He explains how there is almost no stress caused to the body while using the wings, how it’s almost like “riding a motorbike.” Though he still must wear a heat-resistant suit to protect him from the heat of the jet-engines, with the air temperature also assisting in cooling him down.

Rossy and his sponsors have poured about $285,000 and countless hours of labor into producing the personal flyer, and he won’t comment on how much the device might be if it were marketed to the public. Though one thing is for sure, thrill-seekers everywhere just got a glimpse of the future. Something to really look forward to.

And then there's more-Check out just how close we are to seeing a real life Iron Man armor!

Please accept our apologies for Thursday's Afronerd Radio cancellation but we are working on some pretty interesting and noteworthy projects/interviews for the next few weeks, so unfortunately some broadcasts might not go on as scheduled. Here's a tidbit-don't forget to check us out next Sunday as we interview famed conservative author and media personality, Larry Elder regarding his latest literary effort, Stupid BlackMen. We are also scheduling a tete-a-tete with the inimitable Dr. Alvin Poussaint. So again, stay tuned! But we will be in rare form tomorrow as there are a number of issues that occurred this past week which are ripe for discussion. If you will move your eyes to the monitor above, you will notice a brewing controversy concerning a Mulligan's barkeep that insists on selling Obama as Curious George t-shirts for fun and profit. We will also put our analytical scalpels to use in dissecting a frightening video (below) that shows a Milwaukee bus driver involved in an unprovoked attack by a subhuman trying to get a rep (thanks Gangstarr).

And lastly, we will chop it up regarding the Morehouse-white valedictorian controversy. Or better yet, should it be viewed as controversial as opposed to being historic. We'll leave that up to you. So join us and state your opinions this Sunday at 8pm eastern-give us a call "live" at 646-915-9620 or via email/IM-afronerdradio@yahoo. Be there and Be.....oh you know how it goes!

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

May be I'm taking this latest bit of news from a recent Washington Post piece too literally. Or maybe not. Again, this is not to disregard real cases of police misconduct but I'm also a believer of intense investigation and discernment. The Post article rather bluntly affirms that college educated Blacks showed the steepest decline in mortality rates in comparison to other groups. Here's an excerpt:

While there is growing hazard for poorly educated and presumably lower-income Americans, race in itself does not strongly predict health outcomes. The group with the steepest decline in premature deaths was college-educated African Americans.

White female high school dropouts had the greatest erosion in their health, with their mortality rate rising by a little more than 3 percent a year over the nine-year period. A greater number of accidents, heart attacks, and cases of emphysema and cancer were responsible for about half this increase.

White male high school dropouts also had an increase in their risk of dying prematurely rise, by about 1 percent a year. Increasing numbers of accidents, suicides and cancers were largely responsible.

White male high school dropouts were 4.4 times as likely to die prematurely as white male college graduates. For white women, mortality in dropouts was 3.8 times that of college graduates.

For African American males with college degrees, death rates fell dramatically -- an average of 6 percent a year over the nine-year period. Fewer deaths from heart disease, cancer and, especially, AIDS were the main reasons. For black women who had finished college, mortality fell about 3 percent a year, driven mostly by fewer strokes, heart attacks and cases of cancer.

The Post piece did not mention death by violence but I think education plays a role in avoiding some of the more pathological aspects of the stereotypical Black existence. Am I wrong on this...let's hear what you think. I'll be wearing Iron Man like armor to protect me from the expected barbs and criticisms. Oh and check out the article in its entirety for further clarification:

Unfortunately, I retrieved this clip from a site entitled, podblanc which espouses an obvious racist bent-but the video is making the rounds as further evidence of the degradation of our culture. As much as I detest tit for tat arguments in my quest to fight my instincts to promulgate tribal rebuttals, the Girls Gone Wild videos are exponentially worse...that's for the podblanc set. Nevertheless, the lack of supervision coupled with the students' lack of decency should not go away without due criticism and public admonishment. Check below for more on this story, courtesy of WREG.com:

(MEMPHIS 5/05/2008) -- A video posted on YouTube.com is causing a lot of concern among Memphis City School Parents.

The clip labeled, "Mitchell High School Memphis ... Rape Dat Ho," was posted last month. It was flagged as offensive then taken down, but not before News Channel 3 recorded the clip on tape.

The images are disturbing. They are graphic and hard to watch. It shows young men and women engaging in what one parent described as "sex with clothes on."

At least seven teenagers are seen on the tape engaged in dances simulating sex. Other students are seen and heard shouting, "Rape Dat Ho." The posted video lasts over a minute. There were no administrators or adult supervisors seen on the tape.

We communicated with the person who posted the video via email. "I'm sorry but I refuse to give any information about the video. The video was just for fun," the poster replied.

We know the video will get a strong reaction, and we want you to talk about it. We want to assure you, we're not going to just show the shocking video and then walk away. Our purpose is to show there is a problem, and then offer solutions.

We've already conducted a round table discussion with several women to discuss the underlying issues the tape exposes. The women offered interesting advice and concrete ideas about what can be done to curb this behavior in the future. You'll see that discussion in the coming days on News Channel 3.

We will also continue to ask the administration questions about what appears to be a break down in supervision.

A group of five administrators watched a copy of the video last week then offered a response. "We've had an opportunity to look at the video and just want to make it very clear that behavior that we saw on the tape is very disturbing," said MCS spokesperson Staci Franklin. "However, in just what we've seen today we cannot clearly identify that those are our students and that it is one of our schools."

News Channel 3 received a written request for a copy of the tape, and we will be providing that copy to the administration Tuesday.

"With further investigation, if we are able to identify any student that participated in this, it totally violates our student code of conduct and they will be disciplined accordingly," said Franklin.

Admittedly, this is a pretty innocuous topic but the subtext of the article still managed to raise my ire. While perusing Yahoo's 25 Worst rappers list, I noticed that the critic in question threw dirt on top of Will Smith. Thankfully, many of the article's respondents also felt that Smith should not have been put on such a list. Anyone that is a true hip hop aficionado is keenly aware that during the period that Smith was at the height of his rap career, the musical landscape (again as it relates to hip hop) was not vulgar-making him not an anomalous artist for the time. And truth be told, not only was Smith's lyrical ability respectable but he should be given credit for spearheading the hip hop industry's foray into mainstream cultural acceptance. But to be fair, let's take a look at what the list's author said:

And "Parents Just Don't Understand" was obviously a pretty "wacky" "rebellious" little number with all that clever rhyming! And Will Smith was certainly still "safe" enough to not inspire too much controversy. Which is exactly why he's a lousy rapper. And why Smith got out of there and into acting before everyone caught on.

So because Big Willy didn't represent a ghetto/criminal aesthetic (which again, really wasn't what hip hop or Smith was about, circa 1985), that somehow translates into inauthenticity and therefore, "lousy" rapping. Folks, this is what I was referring to by subtext-the matter of fact fashion that the media (and other entities) assume that true Black culture is always a controversial and rebellious existence. I would state that some of the rappers listed do belong there-but not Will Smith. But take a look at the list and I leave it up to our readership to come to their own conclusions:

Monday, May 12, 2008

Usually I wouldn't highlight such internet drivel but in the wake of cyclical Rev. Wright footage submitted by Mr. O'Reilly, perhaps turnabout is fair play. It appears that this vintage Inside Edition clip (I would venture to say late 80s to mid 90s) shows a truly disturbed O'Reilly arguing about absolutely nothing. I would be the first to admit that I like the O'Reilly Factor even with its warts and flaws but despite this blog's conservative bent-I'm not going to excuse weird behavior. I will make one distinction-O'Reilly's blowup remained behind the scenes and was not commodified for public consumption. This is the problem with our current cultural/entertainment landscape, especially as it relates to people of color-our anger is exposed for profit spilling over into real life. Well have fun guys....let us know what you think.

Uh Oh...et tu Sue? Is there an epidemic for crass and unexpectedly bad behavior all of the sudden? This may be more of a local non-story but I would have never guessed that such verbiage would come from the mouth of a respected New York journalist as Sue Simmons. For those who are unfamiliar with Ms. Simmons, she is a long time anchor with NBC's New York affiliate news station. I actually was fortunate enough to meet and get an autograph from Simmons years ago and found her to be quite cordial. Perhaps it's something in the water...perhaps.

What's up folks. As the title suggests, it's that time again-listen to Comic Shoppe Radio scheduled for 7pm (eastern) as Max, Daryll and yours truly discuss: Iron Man rules for the second week in a row-50 million dollar take, Speed Racer disappoints, ABC Family’s upcoming Middleman TV series and of course our favorite graphic novel reads from last week. So drop us a line, the call-in number is-646-200-0104 or contact us via email/IM-thecomicshoppe@yahoo. Be there and Be square…..true believers!

Sunday, May 11, 2008

We decided to scrap Thursday's broadcast due to our technical hurdles so let's cross our fingers for tonight's (8pm eastern) show. Pretend that you didn't hear Thursday's show as we will cover some of the issues from the last episode as well as discuss Mother's Day. But don't think that we will let go of some of the other topics that have come down the pipeline-case in point, Hillary Clinton's White voter shout out. There's also another allegation of police profiling-from a Black high ranking policeman. So as Mr. Brown would say-Let's Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved by calling in with your comments/statements at-646-915-9620 or by email-afronerdradio@yahoo.

I was trolling the streets of the ATL Heat blog (hat tip to them for this clip) when I came across the above Killer Mike interview. Please excuse the expletives but I was actually quite pleased with Mike's candor during this conversation. I readily admit that for the last few years I have slowly divested myself from hip hop culture. I exclusively listen to the classic hip hop artists and their more current alternative/progressive incarnations. I'm not a fan of Killer Mike's work, although as a pop culture critic I am aware of his presence. Perhaps I will take a closer look at Mike's music but in the interest of full disclosure-the minstrel aesthetic of commercial rap has turned me off to such a degree, I'm looking at classic and alternative rock for solace. Next up-tonight's Afronerd Radio's Mother's Day show!

Friday, May 09, 2008

This is my second post on this theme and unfortunately, it will probably not be my last. If you remember the phrase that I coined in the past-the unattractive truth.....this next story affirms my intent. Al Qaeda are not the only terrorists we have to worry about. I would like to introduce to you......Soulja Girl:

The young woman, now known as "Soulja Girl," who was seen threatening an elderly woman in a viral video this week has found herself in hot water with the law, as Atlanta Police have issued a warrant for the girl's arrest.

In the video, which was filmed on a public transporation train, the girl confronts the older woman with Soulja Boy lyrics and threatens to kill her.

Wanda Y. Dunham, the chief of police for Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), issued a statement requesting help in arresting the girl, according to AllHipHop.

“MARTA police were notified about this video last Friday and launched an immediate and aggressive investigation into the incident,” Dunham said in a statement. “The tipster also indicated the suspect has been known to ride Bus Route 22. MARTA police were able to positively identify the individual allegedly involved in this incident and have secured a warrant for her arrest.”

“We want to assure the public that this is an extremely isolated incident and that customer safety and security are our highest priorities,” Durham added. “We regret that any customer had to endure such harassment while using our system. I also wish the many citizens who witnessed this incident would have contacted the MARTA police so that we could have responded to this situation immediately. We are asking that anyone who witnessed this incident please come forward to provide additional first hand information, which may lead to additional charges against the suspect.”

MARTA police ask witnesses to help by calling the MARTA Police Detectives at (404) 848-4911.

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Mary Bubala BALTIMORE (WJZ) ― Staff under siege--there have been more than 100 separate cases of violence this school year. Now we have the first that's sexual in nature.

Mary Bubala gets reaction from the community.

Her cousin describes her as dedicated to the school.

Some leading educators are calling the pattern of high-profile violence a crisis in Baltimore's schools.

Teachers and administrators are now advised not to stay in schools alone after dark after a chilling attack at the Calverton Middle and Elementary campus.

What's supposed to be a safe haven turned dangerous for an assistant principal there Sunday. Police say two thirteen-year-old students broke through a window and tried to rape her.

"She's been at the school for a while," said Quiezita Smith, who says she's the victim's cousin. "She's a dedicated educator, very loving person, very friendly, outgoing. She's very friendly, willing to help anybody. That's just her nature."

Investigators identified the boys through surveillance video. Police arrested them when they showed up for class the next day.

"This is now a crisis and we have to call it what it is," said Marietta English, president of the Baltimore teacher's union. "I would not stay in these buildings alone late at night."

The alarm over violence in city schools began with the release of a videotaped attack on a teacher at Reginald Lewis High.

Eyewitness News spoke exclusively with the mother of a student there, who says her daughter's classmates tried to sexually assault her.

"My daughter said they threw her on the floor and tried to take her clothes off of her, but they couldn't get them off because she was fighting them off," she said.

The attacks drew outrage from the mayor and the head of city schools.

"It's a shame that one can't do that to prepare for the upcoming week and be safe in that environment," Mayor Sheila Dixon said.

"No way to predict it. No way to guard against it. There's no way that we can police a system in this way," said Dr. Andres Alonso.

Nationwide, there were 1.5 million victims of school violence last year; 78% of schools reported a violent incident.

In Baltimore, the scope of the attacks is escalating. This is the first report of a sex crime against an administrator.

Countless teachers are bruised and battered while their principals look the other way. Still, about 1,500 suspensions and expulsions were issued for assaults on teachers in the city and Baltimore region during the 2006-07 school year. In a five-part series, our partner "The Examiner" takes a look at this rampant violence in the classroom.

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Let's talk about gas this Thursday on Afronerd Radio. We want to hear from our readers/listeners regarding your game plan for this summer as prices are expected to rise above $4 a gallon. I have heard reports that gas may reach as high as $10 gallon in the near future. WOW!!! We also plan to chop it up about Senator Obama's North Carolina win and competitive showing in Indiana and what this means as we get closer to a possible McCain-Obama match-up. As expected, protests are in full effect courtesy of Reverend Sharpton and his followers as arrests were made in the name of civil disobedience over the Sean Bell verdict. Will we ever see the day when folks march against inner city dysfunctionalism? I won't hold my breath....so drop by with your thoughts and comments by calling in at-646-915-9620 or via email/IM-afronerdradio@yahoo. Be there , Be Square and start considering public transportation-because like most gas....it stinks!

Sunday, May 04, 2008

Well it's pretty obvious folks.....join, Max, Daryll and yours truly as we discuss this weekend's release of the Iron Man movie. We will also discuss the latest movie, sci-fi and comic news and of course, our favorite graphic novel reads from last week. You know what to do-drop by and give us a call at-646-200-0104 or via email/IM-thecomicshoppe@yahoo. And remember Be Square and Be There, true believers!

Well it's my turn up at bat as I'm scheduled to appear on this Monday's Bloggers Roundtable. hosted by News & Notes' Farai Chideya. I also wanted to highlight the latest Dr. Cosby appearance, this time in the motor city of Detroit at a televised town hall meeting on education. Check out this link which shows what the Coz does best-tell the truth. Shay of the Booker Rising blog also denoted another Cosby sighting-this time in Newark with hizzoner Corey Booker. And lastly, perhaps in honor of Cosby, Juan Williams and NPR, take a gander at this past war of words (clips below) between Syracuse professor, Boyce Watkins and NPR (and Fox's) Mr. Williams. I feel your pain, Juan....but keep speaking truth to power.

Boyce Watkins:

Juan Williams' response:

Oh and check out one more interesting article on the Coz in Detroit.......He said that he's tired of losing to White people-I would dovetail on that statement by simply stating that I am tired of some of us just losing...

Hat Tip to our resident commenter, Sergio for hipping me to this clip. And to believe the US is currently indebted to China-one of those things that makes you go.....hmmmm. New York is notorious for their strap hanger stories but absolutely nothing like the above clip. Could you guys put up with such indignities?